The entire arena fell silent. The result had taken everyone by surprise!
Dai Mubai shone brilliantly, the effects of his First Soul Skill yet to fade. The lingering traces on the battlefield testified to the young genius's strength!
At twelve years old and level twenty-six, he had defeated Qing Keke, the defender of the fourth stage!
"Dai Mubai is incredible! So this was his true strength all along!"
The spectators marveled. Their earlier scrutiny gave way to fervent admiration.
Glow sticks waved as many people shouted.
Two years!
For two whole years, the fourth stage defended by Qing Keke had been as impregnable as a fortress.
Now, someone had finally broken that record!
"The last person to defeat Qing Keke was Yu Tianheng, a genius of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's younger generation!"
"Two years ago, Yu Tianheng was already fourteen, and he was at level twenty-nine."
People realized something.
Dai Mubai seemed to be even more outstanding than Yu Tianheng!
"He defeated the same formidable opponent at a younger age and with less Soul Power. This Dai Mubai is a powerhouse who can rival Yu Tianheng!"
Staff from the intermediate arena appeared, and the referee announced the result. At the same time, a stretcher was brought onto the field, and Qing Keke was lifted onto it to be taken for medical treatment.
Blood seeped from the corner of Qing Keke's mouth, and his face was ashen.
The Scarlet Demon Vine, which lived by devouring the blood of others, had now tasted its own blood.
"Dai Mubai," Qing Keke muttered through gritted teeth.
Dai Mubai, who happened to pass him as he too left the stage, smiled contemptuously. "Your level really is a little higher, and your combat experience really is a little better, but..."
"Your foundation is far too shaky!"
Dai Mubai stated the cold truth.
Though Qing Keke's Soul Power was at level twenty-nine, its concentration was not even as strong as Dai Mubai's at level twenty-six.
Ultimately, it came down to the difference between their foundations!
With that, Dai Mubai smiled faintly at the stands.
Countless young women cheered, and Dai Mubai walked off the stage amid their noisy send-off.
"A shaky foundation..."
Qing Keke stared fixedly at Dai Mubai's retreating figure, his eyes filled with killing intent.
His pupils were bloodshot, a faint crimson rising in them. The Scarlet Demon Teng in his palm was raring to strike, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue. His gaze was cold, gathering into an icy stare that shot toward Dai Mubai's internal organs like a dagger.
Just then, a figure in black stepped in front of the stretcher, blocking his view of Dai Mubai. Qing Keke's brows knitted, and he was about to fly into a rage.
But when he saw who it was, he shut his mouth.
The man in black was Li Xian, one of the organizers of the intermediate arena who had spoken with Xiao Yan and Yu Tianming earlier.
He examined Li Xian's injuries, shook his head, and said softly, "After that, you won't be able to take the stage for a month."
Veins bulged across Qing Keke's forehead, and a deeply sinister look appeared on his already pale face. He said coldly, "If you hadn't kept such a tight rein on me, if I'd devoured the blood essence of just one more person, I couldn't possibly have lost today!"
"Even that little brat could see that my Soul Power was unfocused and my foundation was lacking, yet you still only let me suck the blood of those opponents in the arena!"
Li Xian laughed, but there was coldness in his laughter.
A chill as frigid as ice!
"A loss is a loss. What's with all these excuses? As for sucking people's blood essence, I suggest you give up that idea!"
Qing Keke said coldly, "What if I insist!?"
"Foster father!" He stressed those two words.
Li Xian, who had already started to leave, suddenly halted. He stopped in his tracks, turned his head, and said indifferently, "I hope you understand the difference between eating your fill once and never going hungry."
Qing Keke lay limply on the stretcher.
The boy, an orphan with no background to speak of, murmured something, and tears suddenly streamed down his face.
In the stands, the enthusiastic cheering continued.
There was still a full half hour until the next match, yet not a single spectator had left!
"There are four matches tonight. Dai Mubai's fourth-stage challenge was the second, so there are still two fights to watch!"
"If the second match was already that good, what will the third and fourth be like!?"
A regular at the intermediate arena explained, "The third match is a clash at the Soul Elder level, a duel between two students from Heaven Dou Royal Academy and Blue Tyrant Academy."
"And the fourth is a duel at the Soul Ancestor level!"
Level thirty was Soul Elder!
Level forty was Soul Ancestor!
The next two fights would undoubtedly be spectacular!
Yu Tianming looked at Xiao Yan, who was eager to give it a try, and chuckled softly. "Want to go up and have a go? I can have Cang Lin put in a word. You can pick an opponent from the third or even the fourth match."
"Sure!"
Xiao Yan had already been thinking of going down for a fight.
Yu Tianming soon made all the arrangements. With Cang Lin's name as the deputy hall master of the imperial city's Spirit Hall behind the request, the organizers of the Soul Master intermediate arena readily agreed.
Xiao Yan followed a staff member to register.
"Young man, how old are you!?"
"Eighty-two!" Xiao Yan thought it over. Eight was still too eye-catching, so he decided to give the same age as Dai Mubai.
"And your Soul Power Level!?"
"Twenty-six!"
Twelve years old, level twenty-six!
Even after Xiao Yan changed his age, he was still at the level of a genius!
The registration clerk's pretty eyes widened, and she looked at Xiao Yan with sudden eagerness.
She put on a coquettish smile and said sweetly, "So you're a young genius like Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng. To reach this level at only twelve is truly enviable."
She deliberately tugged down her neckline, exposing a broad expanse of pale skin.
Xiao Yan paid no attention to her deliberate posturing.
In Xiao Yan's eyes, such painted beauties were no different from white-boned skeletons.
Besides...
I'm only eight fucking years old!
"Spectators, there has been a change to the third match!"
"A member of the imperial city's Spirit Hall will face a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"
"Xiao Yan versus Dugu Yan!"
The referee descended into the center of the arena and shouted the announcement.
The third intermediate Soul Master match was about to begin!
Xiao Yan was slightly startled in the preparation hall. "Dugu Yan... could she be that old poison Dugu Bo's granddaughter!?"
Xiao Yan swallowed.
He had given Dugu Bo a fright back then by posing as a god.
If Dugu Bo was here this time...
"He'll probably see through me in an instant, and might even want to grind my bones to dust and scatter the ashes!"
A young man who was about to leave noticed Xiao Yan's hesitation.
Dai Mubai narrowed his eyes at Xiao Yan and smiled. "If you're scared, don't go out there. Save yourself the humiliation!"
Xiao Yan did not even lift his eyelids, merely casting him a cold glance.
That look reminded Dai Mubai of someone.
The person whose back he could only look up at, the one who had driven him to leave his home behind!
That damned contempt in his eyes...
It was exactly the same as his elder brother Dai Weisi's!
(Chapter one. Chapter two will follow shortly, in an hour at most. Brothers, you're all done celebrating the New Year by now, right!)
(End of chapter)